Golf club head with improved aerodynamic characteristics

Abstract

Methods of forming a golf club head having improved aerodynamic characteristics are disclosed herein. A preferred method is the largest tangent circle method, which utilizes a Cartesian coordinate system. The method results in identification and measurement of certain club head features, which can be adjusted to improve aerodynamic properties of the golf club head. One method of the present invention lowers the drag of the club head by specifying dimensional relationships of the driver head based on location of apex and nadir points, while another method lowers the drag of the club head by improving overall face design.

1. A driver type golf club head comprising:
 a body having a face, a crown and a sole; 
 wherein the crown has an apex point, 
 wherein the sole has a nadir point, 
 wherein H is a distance between the crown apex point and the sole nadir point, 
 wherein C is a face height, 
 wherein A is a distance between the highest point of the face and the crown apex point, 
 wherein B is a distance between the lowest point of the face and the sole nadir point, 
 wherein D is a distance between the highest point of the golf club face and the crown apex point, 
 wherein E is a distance between the lowest part of the golf club face and the sole nadir point, and 
 wherein the driver club head satisfies one or more of the following equations:
   (( A+B )/ C )≧30%;  (a)
 
     A≧ 0.36 inches and  D> 1.0 inch;  (b)
 
     B≧ 0.3 inches and E>1.0 inch;  (c)
 
     A≧ 0.25 inches and  C≦ 2.0 inches;  (d)
 
     B≧ 0.25 inches and  C≦ 2.0 inches;  (e)
 
     A≧ 0.25 inches,  B≧ 0.25 inches, and  C≧ 2.0 inches; and  (f)
 
     C/H< 80%.  (g)
 
 
 
     
     
       2. A driver type golf club head according to  claim 1  wherein the driver type golf club head has a volume of at least 400 cubic centimeters. 
     
     
       3. A driver type golf club head according to  claim 1  wherein the driver type golf club head has a loft measurement of less than 14 degrees. 
     
     
       4. A driver type golf club head according to  claim 1  wherein the face is composed of a metal material. 
     
     
       5. A driver type golf club head according to  claim 1  wherein the body is composed of a stainless steel material. 
     
     
       6. A driver type golf club head according to  claim 1  wherein the sole is composed of a metal material and the crown is composed of a non-metal material. 
     
     
       7. A driver type golf club head according to  claim 1  wherein the body is composed of a titanium alloy material.